It's Time for a Flu Shot

As we head into the fall, the leaves are displaying their spectacular array of color, the weather is turning brisk, and another flu season is heading our way.  In any year, protecting ourselves from the flu by getting vaccinated is so important but this year it is doubly so.

Flu is a serious illness that can cause several days of severe symptoms and weeks of recovery.  For young children, elderly, pregnant, and those with pre-existing conditions, flu infection is more likely to result in hospitalization, respiratory failure, and death. 

"There is reason to believe that having the flu and COVID simultaneously, or one shortly after the other would be very severe," Julius Krevans, MD, PhD, an infectious disease expert at Mount Desert Island Hospital, said in 2020. "Both these viruses suppress the ability of the body to fight other infections, and both create significant breathing problems...By getting a flu shot we protect ourselves and also those we care about in our homes, work, and community."

There’s no better time than the present to get your flu shot! “It is best to have your flu shot in late September or early October in order to ensure that you have time – usually two weeks – to develop an immune response before there is widespread transmission of the flu,” said Josh Adler, MD, chief clinical officer of UCSF Health. “A flu vaccine in this time frame generally provides protection throughout the entire flu season.”

If you have health insurance coverage, your flu shot will most likely be free. A simple way to find the closest location for your flu shot is the CDC vaccine locator, https://vaccinefinder.org/. There are also discount or coupon websites like Goodrx that can help you receive e-discounts on your flu shot. 

May we all stay healthy and safe this fall and winter season!